Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director Programme at WFP, set the tone with opening remarks, underscoring the Hub’s pivotal role in reshaping humanitarian responses amid extreme funding shortfalls and an increased emphasis on political and development solutions for forced displacement.

Moderated by Marcia Wong from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the event featured speakers including Hanan Malek Hamdan, UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the League of Arab States, and Marcus Prior, Deputy Country Director, Uganda, UN World Food Programme.

The discussion illuminated the Hub’s achievements, demonstrating its significant improvements in delivering humanitarian assistance in challenging contexts. Emphasizing collaboration, the Hub emerged as a symbol of UNHCR and WFP working seamlessly together, complementing each other’s efforts, where “magic can happen.” The discussion also emphasized the Hub’s role in enhancing targeting, ensuring aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in line with donor expectations.

Recognizing the growing focus on political and development solutions for forced displacement, the Hub was acknowledged as a pivotal advocate for these approaches. The event aimed to increase awareness of the Hub’s impact, enhance understanding of collaboration in forced displacement, and identify innovative funding approaches and prioritization practices.

In summary, the event successfully showcaased the transformative impact of the UNHCR-WFP Joint Hub in humanitarian response, offering valuable insights into effective collaboration, innovation, and adaptability in addressing the challenges of forced displacement crises.